Closure for cartons



Sept. 17, 1946. E. J. BISKAMP 2,407,865

CLOSURE FOR CARTONS Filed Dec. 16, 1943 Y 12 f l L1? of i j i 5W7. flw m sza, @wwwe Patented Sept. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR- CARTONSL Ernest J Bi'skamp, San, Antonio, Tex.

Application December 16, 1943; Serial No. 514,532-

2 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to cardboard boxes or cartons of the folded blank, tubular type, and particularlyto such cartons. as are commonly employed for the packaging of granular or finely divided, fluent material.

Numerous attempts have heretofore been made to provide suitable pouring openings for such cartons, but. most of these have proven unsatisfactory, either because, having once been opened, it was impossible to close them again, or for other practical: reasons.

The object of the present invention is to provide a carton of the: above type having a closure section constituting means formingv a pouring opening, such closure sections being so constructed that it may be replaced and retained in closed position.

A further object is to provide such a closure which may be opened and closed as often as desired and which will remain operative for the life of the carton.

A still further object is to provide closure means of theabove character which may be readily formed as an integral part of the usual commercial box blank, and which entails substantially no additional expense in the manufacture and assembling of such blanks.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which Fig. 1 is a View of .folded box blank embodying my invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section on an enlarged scale through the corner portion of the box containing my improved closure, the closure being illustrated in partially opened position, and parts being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the corner of the box containing my improved closure, the closure being shown in fully opened position, and

Fig. 4 is a similar view, the closure being shown as it appears after having been opened and replaced in closed position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and more particularly first to Fig. 1 thereof, the blank comprises the usual panels I and 2, constituting the side walls of the box, and the panels 3 and 4, constituting the edge walls, together with outer and inner end flaps 5, 6, I and 8, adapted to be folded over in superposed relation to constitute the end walls. The blank is also provided with the usual lip 9 by which the two edges of the blank are secured together when the box is assembled.

My improved closure comprises a. section III, hingedly connected by means of a score line, H, with one of' the edge walls 4', this score line being located a substantial distance from the end of the box. The section II) is defined by perforated lines I2 and I3, the former coinciding with the fold lines between the edge. wall 4 and the side walls I and 2, and the latter coinciding with th fold line between the edge wall 4 and the. associated end flap 8. Thus, the section I0 extends the full width of the edge wall 4.

Projecting from the side of the section I0, opposite the score line I I', is a tab I4, hingedly connected with the section In by means of a score line I5. This. tab I4 normally lies in. the plane of the flap 8 and isseparated therefrom by means of an arcuate cut I6, which extends entirely through the thickness ofthe cardboard. Thus, this tab is free at all points, except where it, joins the section II) at the score line [5.

The blank, having been cut and scored as described, is then folded to form the carton in the usual manner, the end flap 8 being preferably folded on the inside, as indicated in Fig. 2. It

; will be understood that the outer surface of the tab I4 is so treated that the cement used to secure the superposed end flaps together will not adhere to it. When it is desired to open the box to pour out a portion of the contents, the section II] is broken loose along the perforated lines I2 and I3, as by means of the thumbnail or other sharp instrument, and, the tab I4 being entirely free from connection with the box Walls, the section II] may be swung downwardly about the score line I I, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to provide a pouring opening.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the tab I4, after having been withdrawn from the box, may be swun around the score line I5 into the position shown in dotted lines, and this is preferably done before any material is poured. Thus the section III provides a guide along which the material may flow, as it is poured out, and the tab, when bent as shown, does not interfere with the free flow of the material over such section.

When it is desired to close the pouring opening, the section It is swung back about the line II to its original position and is then pushed slightly inwardly beyond such position, as illustrated in Fig. 4. When this is done, it will be seen that the edges I2 of the section I ll frictionally engage the inner surfaces of the side walls I and 2, due to the fact that the section I0 is of the full width of the edge wall 4. In most cases it is even probable that, owing to the fact that the perforated lines I2 coincide with the fold lines between the box walls, the section Ill, with its shown in Fig. 4, also frictionally engage the inner surface of the top flap 8.

It will be noted that the tab l4, having been swung to the dotted lineposition, shown in Fig. 2, now projects outwardly from the section III and constitutes a handle by means of which the section may be manipulated, and by means of which the closure may be readily withdrawn from the closed position, shown in Fig. 4. Moreover, in this closed position, the tab itself likewise tends to frictionally engage the end wall of the box and thus aids in maintaining the clo sure in closed position.

- In operation, the user grasps the tab I l, when moving the closure to closed position, and the ends of the users fingers, engaging the edge of the end wall of the box, constitute a stop to limit the extent to which the section I0 may be pushed inwardly. When operated in this manner, as-

intended, there is no danger of pushing the section in too far. f

While in the specification I have referred to the lines l2 .and [3 as perforated, it will of coursebe understood that any other desired form of weakening may be employed.

Also, while I have shown the walls 3 and 4 as narrower than the walls I and 2, and have referred to the walls 3 and 4 as edge walls, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to cartons in which all of the walls are of the same width. Consequently, all may be designated side walls.

What I claim is:.

1. A blank for forming foldable boxes of the tubular type, said blank comprising side and edge panels and end flaps, said side and edge panels 4 being separated from each other and from said end flaps by fold lines, one of said edge panels having at one end a rectangular closure section defined on two sides by perforated lines coinciding with the fold lines between said edge panel and, adjacent side panels, and partially defined on a third side by a perforated line coinciding with the fold line between said edge panel and adjacent end flap, and a tab cut out of said end flap and projecting from said thirdside of said section, and said section being connected at its fourth side with said edge panel by means of a score line.

' 21A carton having side walls, and end walls comprising superposed inner and outer flaps, said side Walls being separated from each other and from said flaps by fold lines, one of said side walls having adjacent its end a rectangular section defined by perforated lines coinciding with the fold lines between said side wall and the two adjacent side walls, and between said side wall and said'end wall, said section being hingedly connected by a score line along its side remote from said end wall with said side wall, and said section being provided at its opposite side with a projecting tab cut out of the inner flap of said end WaILsaid tab being hingedly connected at one edge with said section and having it other edges entirely free, and said tab originally lying wholly within the carton and being covered by the outer flap of said end wall, whereby, when said perforated lines are broken, said section may be swung outwardly about said score line to provide a pouring opening and may be swung back into closed position, and whereby said tab may be swung so as to project outwardly, to constitute a handle by means of which said section may be manipulated, the edges of said section, and the tab carried thereby, when pushed slightly inwardly, frictionally engaging the inner surfaces of said side and end walls and thus retaining said section in closed position.

ERNEST J. BISKAMP. 

